Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Maggi Young on November 03, 2016, 05:59:31 PM
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Hunting for flowers in Western China - with Whistling Arrow
An exciting Primula/Rhododendron/Alpine flower-hunting expedition is planned for June 2017 by Whistling Arrow in collaboration with Simon Crutchley of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh.
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The expedition will attempt the first full trekking traverse from the Nujiang Valley over to the upper northern reaches of the remote, and fabled, Dulong Valley. In 2015, Adrian Bottomley managed a similar expedition with some members of the NZ and Australian Rhododendron Societies and discovered a veritable rhododendron and primula fairyland. The plan for 2017 is to trek a few weeks later in the year to allow for the multitude of weird and wonderful Alpines to be in full bloom and trek all the way over to the Dulong rather than circle back to the Nujiang Valley around Mt Kenyichunpo as in 2015.
On this pioneering trek, where the terrain is challenging and very difficult in parts, the aim will be to record and photograph the rare plants and flowers in this unique biosphere.
“En route, particularly before we break out at higher altitudes into sub-alpine forests and meadows, we will follow seldom-used Lisu hunting tracks through thick forest covered in greybeard lichen. We will also need to scramble over the sprawling root systems of giant evergreens, wade through small rivers and cross a number of slippery log bridges. To be clear, this is an intrepid expedition into 'undiscovered' and remote territory and is not a trek for armchair enthusiasts. You need to be physically and emotionally prepared for a formidable adventure in the spirit of George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward.”
More details about the planned trip, June 12 to June 29, 2017, for which four places are still available, may be found here:
[url=http://whistlingarrow.com/plant-hunting-expedition-china]http://whistlingarrow.com/plant-hunting-expedition-china (http://whistlingarrow.com/plant-hunting-expedition-china)]http://whistlingarrow.com/plant-hunting-expedition-china[/color][/url]
Contact Adrian Bottomley:
+ 852 2811 8892 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/tel:+%20852%202811%208892)
adrian@whistlingarrow.com (%20adrian@whistlingarrow.com)
The trip is not entirely floral-focused. The Dulong Valley is also home to the Drung tribe, some of whose elder women still have full facial tattoos.
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“En route, particularly before we break out at higher altitudes into sub-alpine forests and meadows, we will follow seldom-used Lisu hunting tracks through thick forest covered in greybeard lichen. We will also need to scramble over the sprawling root systems of giant evergreens, wade through small rivers and cross a number of slippery log bridges. To be clear, this is an intrepid expedition into 'undiscovered' and remote territory and is not a trek for armchair enthusiasts. You need to be physically and emotionally prepared for a formidable adventure in the spirit of George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward.”
..... and for this you have to pay? ;D Or do it my way-wait for the article in The Rock Garden; comfy armchair; dry feet, warm in, cold out, and a large glass of Malt. :P
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Pam Eveleigh mentions this trip in her latest blog and lists some of the wonderful primulas to be seen in the region:
https://primulaworld.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/primula-hunting-in-nw-yunnan.html
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From Whistling Arrow : Due to a recent cancellation - we again have one final place left on our pioneering June 2017 plant hunting expedition in western China. Get in touch today if you are interested in joining this unique and intrepid botanical adventure.
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Adrian Bottomley from Whistling Arrow is running another (and probably final) botanical expedition back into the northern Gaoligong mountains this year, 2018 in June -
Here is the link to the full trip details for your convenience -
https://whistlingarrow.com/plant-hunting-expedition-china
Quite an experience to be enjoyed there.
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Secondly, through contacts that Adrian has with Bhutan, he has been given special permission to explore a previously completely un-trekked (by outsiders) region in the far NW of Bhutan adjacent to Tibet.
Provisionally the plan is to potentially go this May (May 12 to 27 to be exact). This is relatively short notice, and secondly, it will be relatively expensive but then again, the opportunities are few and far between to visit this area but we feel it is worth letting members know about this possibility.
As Adrian says : "In short I may have to revert to it being a plan for May 2019 but I am really keen to go this year - as the chance to explore completely virgin territory does not present itself very often."
If you are interested, or can think of anyone who may be interested in joining Adrian on this trip, then please contact maggi for a pdf which outlines the trip.